Askat Zhetigen - Justice for Journalists

Askat Zhetigen

Affiliated media: Blogger, Akyn

Incident date: June 25, 2024

Attack type:

  • Court trial

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Telegram channel Kloop Media

Location: Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek

Additional information:

The prosecutor requested 8 years of jail for akyn and blogger Askat Zhetigen at a hearing in the Sverdlovsky District Court of Bishkek. The blogger is accused of calling for disobedience to representatives of the authorities and mass riots. The prosecutor said that the blogger criticised the president in foul language, thus «causing resonance and discussion in social networks, which could cause popular unrest and a threat to the security of the country’s population». Zhetigen was arrested on March 20 after he published a video criticising president Sadyr Zhaparov and using profanity against him. He has since been held in the detention center. Earlier, Zhetigen claimed that he was tortured with electric shocks for an hour in the Bishkek office of the State Committee for National Security.

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